1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition containing saponin from medicinal ginseng, which is useful for the treatment and prevention of trouble which is due to glucocorticoids belonging to adrenocortical hormones.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that medicinal ginseng, particularly Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer belonging to the family Araliaceae and usually called Korean ginseng, has for a long time been used as a tonic, restorative, antiphlogistic, diuretic, or antidiabetic. Research has recently been under way to ascertain that its drug actions are due to the saponins which it contains.
It is known that glucocorticoids belonging to adrenocortical hormones, such as cortisone, provide an indispensable medicine which protects a living body from stress, and takes part in conversion of proteins to glucides, metabolism of lipids, or the like. They are frequently used by oral administration, injection, local insertion or in the form of an ointment for the treatment of allergic disorders such as Addison's disease, anterior pituitary insufficiency, serum disease and asthma bronchiale, inflammatory diseases such as conjunctivitis, keratitis and iritis, rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, diffuse collagen diseases such as periarteriitis nodosa and dermatomyositis, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, smallpox, nephrosis, or the like. They are, however, likely to cause side effects known as the Cushing's syndrome, including abnormal fat deposition and edema in the face, neck or body, such as moon face and buffalo neck, abnormal increase of appetite, increase of body weight, pigmentation of the skin and nails, skin keratinization, hyperglycemia, hypertension, muscle force reduction, hypokalemia, and worsening of the existing ulcer. They also cause serious trouble to the organs, such as atrophy of adrenal cortex.
As the result of their extensive research with saponins of medicinal ginseng, the inventors of this invention have discovered that the use of such saponin and glucocorticoids in combination is effective for preventing and curing serious trouble caused by glucocorticoids to the organs, and also has a synergistic effect on the treatment of burns or the like.
The saponins of medicinal ginsengs effectively act against the atrophy of the adrenal due to glucocorticoids and the accompanying reduction of plasma cortisol. They are useful for the treatment of the adrenal atrophy, and effective against the side effects associated therewith. The mechanism of their action against burns has not yet been clarified, but their use in combination with glucocorticoids has shown a clear synergistic effect which has not been achieved by glucocorticoids alone.
Although research is under way on the saponins of medicinal ginseng as mentioned before, it is believed to be an unexpected discovery that the saponins are effective against the adrenal atrophy.